Core activity #04
Workshop for General Surveillance for Wildlife Diseases and Outbreak Investigation
To develop the Thailand-NWHC/MoZWE becoming a WOAH Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Health and Zoonotic Diseases in the Asia-Pacific Region, a workshop for General Surveillance for Wildlife Diseases and Outbreak Investigation, one of a series of planned workshops in fulfillment of the Twinning Project, was held on May 30 – June 2, 2022, at the Holiday Inn, Pattaya, Thailand. The welcome remarks and significant contexts were to be honored and introduced by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Walasinee Sakcamduang, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), and Deans of Veterinary School Consortium, Thailand. The specific goals were to co-create a general wildlife disease surveillance plan, evaluate the current roles and responsibilities of partners identify potential preparedness needs, and develop a logic model for the enhancement of the general wildlife disease surveillance system. The workshop included participants from the WOAH Collaborating Centre (USGS NWHC), the candidate centre, multiple government agencies in Thailand, USAID, the US Embassy in Thailand, international experts from Laos, diagnostic laboratories, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations in Thailand.
In the workshop, a tabletop exercise was used to identify the agencies and partners currently involved with wildlife health investigations in Thailand and their interactions during a wildlife disease event via three scenarios of a wildlife-only pathogen, agricultural pathogens, and a potential zoonotic pathogen using a swim lane diagram of communication and actions. Individual logic models were created for the five primary components needed for a general surveillance program, including field detection network, laboratory network, information management, analysis and communication, and governance.
Finally, the findings and discussions of the workshop were described in the following recommended next steps:
- Provide a national-level policy that ensures sustainable resources to support the Thailand-NWHC and create a wildlife disease surveillance steering committee and associated national wildlife health surveillance strategy.
- Explore piloting a wildlife disease data and information management system to facilitate the sharing of information on wildlife diseases internally and externally using an existing system.
- Provide a technical-level meeting to develop an implementation plan for the management system.
- Create a web-based information resource center where disease plans, SOPs, field manuals, diagnostic laboratories, bulletins, and other information deemed useful by the community.
- Convene quarterly meetings of partners to enhance the exchange of information, and coordination among relevant entities.
